Loop retainer and mechanism therefor



Nov. 18, 1930. L. N. D. WILLIAMS ET AL 2,

LOOP RETAINER AND MECHANISM THEREFOR Filed Sept. 11. 1928 5 Sheets-Shet1 INVENTLRS" LOUIS N.D'.WII L.IAMS

HARRY SWINGLEHURSTJR y (hair attorneys INVENTORS Nov. 18, 1930.

L. N. D. WILLIAMS ETAL LOOP RETAINER AND MECHANISM THEREFOR FiI LedSept.

11. 1928 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 LOUIS N.D.WlLLl/"MS HARRY SWINGLEHURST Nov.18, 1930. N. D. WILLIAMS ET AL 1,732,375

LOOP RETAINER AND MECHANISM THEREFOR Filed Spt. 11. 1928 v 5Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR'S LOUIS N.D.W|LLIAMS HA RRY SWINGLEHURST JR. @yiheir attorneys Nov. 18, 1930. L. N. D. WILLIAMS ET AL 1,782,375

LOOP RETAINER AND MECHANISM THEREFOR Filed Sept. 11. 1928 5 Sheets-Sheet4 v 1a" w v Ii 5 I i 55 i I 6%! a Iv e If F .. 4/ f v //z 62 2 INVENTORSLOUIS N.D. WILLIAMS HARRY SWINGLEHURST JR.

?y their attorneys Nov. 18, 19.30. L. N. ,D. WILLIAMS ET AL 1,732,375

LOOP RETAINER AND MECHANISM THEREFOR I Filed Sept. 11, 1928 sSheets-Sheet s {03 jl E50 5 EL l INVENTORS T k T 1 LOUIS N.D.WILLIAMSHARRYSWINGLEHURSTJR. 4y Zizezr altar/12 9.9

Patented Nov. 18*1930 i i UNIT-EDIT STAT -ES PAT i a 3 if i OFFICE LOUISN; :0. WILLIAMS, or oeoN'rz, rENNsYnvANIA; ANn HARRY swrNeLnnuns'r, m,

..-OFIBROOKLYN, YORK, ASSIGNORS TO SCOTT & WILLIAMS, INQORPORATEDgOF'NEW YORK, N. Y,,CO'RPORATIO1\T OF MASSACHUSETTS A a iioornETAI nn A DMECHA ISM THnnEroR Application filed September 11, 1928, Serial No.305;206.

This'inventionrelates to looping machines which are used for unitingknittedfwebs, particularly the toe pockets of seamless stockingsproduced on circular knitting machines, and it is concerned especiallywith a retainer for holding the webs in place'during foldingofthe pointcarrier and with a mechanism for .manipulating such a retainerautomatically.

i In apreferred typeof looping machine the webs to be united are placedon a diametrically divided ring, the loops being carried on a peripheralseries of points on the two segments of" the ring. .The preferred typeof'machine has provision for automatically lfolding one segment of thering about a diametral axis to bring the points on that segment intoregister with the po ints on the stationary segment. The loops carriedby the points of the folded segment are then stripped from. thosepointsby an automaticmechanism and are slipped onto the registering points ofthe other segment.

. This operation is sometimes spoken ofjas doubling the loops.

and the ring is rotatedto present the loops on the points of the othersegment successferred is described and illustrated-in the Patent1,715,400 granted on the application of Louis N. 'D. Williams", SerialNumber 160,165; filed January 10, 1927. r

, It has been found in the use of such looping machines that there is atendency on the part of the loops on and neartheend points .of eachsegment of the carrier rin'gto slip from their points during the foldingof the one segment upon the other.

To obviate this difficulty, retainers have been employed. :These areinserted between tion.

the end points of the two segments. When thefabricis folded the yarnlooped on the end points is engaged by the retainers and is held on the,end points. The retainers are then removed to permit the strippingoperaitself;

The movable segment is then swung back to its original positionTheretainers known before this time have been manipulated byhand thus"addingfto the. total time required for eachloop ing v operation,Furthermore, the design offtlie retainers themselves has notbeenaltogether satisfactory. A manually operated retainer is shown in thepatent to Butz 1,068,853.

The present invention relates in particular to the retention of thefabric upon the points of a foldable point carrier during the foldingthereof preparatory for-the looping operation, to an iniprovedretainerand to. an automatic mechanism for moving retainers into and out oftheirfunctioning positions at the looping machine. r l

The objects of the invention are (1) To improve'the design of theretainer proper time in thecycle of operations of the (2) To provide anautomatic mechanism 7 for moving the retainers to and from their thecycle of operation of the looper;

(3) To relatethe operations of the retainer i to those of the loopingmachine in such a way that the total time required for the cycle ofoperation of the looping machine will not be increased by reason of theuse of retainersg (4) To provide an automatic retainermanipulatingmechanism which conveniently built; 7. V y

' (5)1 To provide an automatic retainer manipl'ating mechanism of simpleconstrue tion, reliable in its functioning. i

may be applied to a looping machine already The invention is describedhereinafter and shown in the accompanying drawings as applied to thelooping machlne which s shown in the Patent 1,715,400 of Louis N. D;Wi1- liams, mentioned above. It is understood that while the inventionis so described it is not limited in its applicability tothat-iparticular looper but that it iscapable of. use with .other typesof such machines.

In the drawings.

Figure 1 1s a top plan view ofa looping Figure 2 is a similar view ofthe same, showing the position of the parts during the strippingoperation;

Figure 3 is an elevational view of the same machine with the certainparts removed, the view being taken from the direction at right anglesto that of Figure 1;

Figure 1 is a view in side elevation showing details of the mechanismfor moving the retainer arms.

Figure 5 is a view taken on the line 5-5 of Figure 1 showing themechanism for removing the retainers during the stripping operation;

Figure 6 is a detail plan view showing the relation of a retainer lo thepoints of the ring before the ring is folded;

Figures 7, 8 and 9 are elcvational views taken on the line 66 of Figure6 showing an end point of the stationary segment and a retainer infunctioning position to illustrate the manner in which the loops on theend points are retained thereon .as the ring is folded; I

Figures 10, 11 and 12 are elevational views looking toward the ring fromthe outside along the axis of folding showing the relation of thefabric, points and retainer before, during and at the completion of thefolding.

The bed plate 15 of the looping machine is centrally apertured toreceive a cylindrical carrier 16 upon which the transfer ring R issupported in such a way as to be rotated with the carrier by a ratchetmechanism, not shown. This ratchet mechanism is shown in U. S. patent to.Villiams 1,315,064.

The transfer ring R, so called because it is used to transfer the fabricfrom the knitting machine to the looping machine, consis s of twosegments 17, 18. Each segment carries a number of upstanding quills orpoints P extending circumferentially around its periphery, the numberand spacing of the points being the same on each segment. The segment 18is held stationary with respect to the carrier 16 while the segment 17'may be swung upwardly about a diametral axis by reason of the hinges 19,20. When swung through 180 the segment 17 rests over the segment 18 withthe points P of the two segments in vertical alignment. In somemachines, the points overlap slightly. For the present purpose, theexpression in register or the like is used to describe generically therelation of one set of points to the other set when the segments arebrought together to permit a transfer or doubling of the loops on one tothe other.

The sequence of operations of the machine is determined by a cam drum Chaving a number of inter-related cam rings. On its top is a plate cam 21with lugs 22, 23. C0- operating with this plate cam is an arm 2% havingpallet-like projections 25 engaging the plate camand .a pin 26 whichtakes into a slot in a horizontally rocking lever 27. Lever 27 has afinger 28 adapted to enter an opening in the segment 17 of ring R. henthe plate cam 21 is in the position shown in Figure 1, the lug 22 rocksarm 24 to aposition which causes lever 27 to be swung toward the ring Bso that the linger 28 enters the opening therein.

Lever 27 is adapted to be swung in a vertical are by means of an arm 29secured thereto and also to a short shaft 30. The shaft 30 is mounted ina fixed bearing 31 on the frame of the machine and has at its outer enda pinion 32 which is in mesh with a "egmental gear 33 on the end of anarm (Fig. 3) roclrable in a vertical plane. A pin on arm 8st andeccentric of its rocking axis en gages in a cam groove 36 in the sideface of the cam drum C and imparts to arm 34 a rocking movement whenmoved by the sloping portion 37 of groove 36.

The cam lug and the portion 157 of groove 86 are so related angularlythat immediately after the action of lug 22 in causing finger 28 toengage segment 17, the portion 37 comes opposite pin and rocks arm 3whereupon the arms 29 and 27 are swung upwardly folding segment 17 overupon seg ment 18 as shown in Fig. 2.

Following the folding of the segment 17 to bring the points on it intoregister with the points on segment 18, the stripping mechanism isbrought into )lay. Yi ithin the ments of the ring R are axially movablesegments 9O peripherally notched to provide fingers between the pointsP. lVhen they are moved toward the tips of the points the fingers andthe inner end of the notches engage the loops and strip them from thepoints. The doubling of the loops is accomplished by moving the stripper90 within segment 17 downward toward the tips of the points when thesegment 17 is in the position shown in Fig. 2. By this, the loops on thesegment 17 points are slipped or doubled onto the registering points onthe segment 18.

The mechanism for moving the stripper of segment 17 consists of a hookedlever 4:0 pivoted on a bracket on the machine frame and rocked bycompound levers 1-1, 4:2 which derive their motion respectively fromthat of pins 18, a l: which engage grooves 45, 48 in the cam drum C. Thesloping portions of these grooves are so disposed singularly withrespect to portion 37 of groove 36 that the stripper-engaging member oractuator 47 is moved downwardly to meet the stripper on segment 17 assoon as the latter has been folded onto segment 18.

' The loop retainers and the automatic mechanism for moving intoposition between the end points on segments 17 and 18 will now bedescribed.

The retainers 50 and 51 are formed as angle pieces secured by removablescrews to 'rest a'sin Figs. 1 and-4, theextension 60 islea per.

mama" I separate arms 52and 53 which are arcuate inf shapeand arepivoted ona rod 54: whichis mounted in {spacedofi'sets onthe brackets 55upon whiohthe hookedlle'ver 4O issupported. Thearms 52 and 53 areadaptedfor movement axially along the" rod 54 aswell as for swinging about it.Springs 56 secured at one end to a fixedqpart 57 of the machine frametend to hold'the arms downwardi'asin Fig. 1 where the arms, 52, 53 areina hori-' ZOIltfiJl plane thus putting theretainers in position betweenthe end points of the seg- 'ments. Other springs 56 between the offsetportions of the bracket 55 and thepivotpon tions of arms 52, 53 andsurrounding the rod '54 urge the arms toward each other and toward themid porti'on of 'rod'bt.

Suspended from the hooked lever 40 which carries the stripperactuatord'i, is amernber 58 having a wedge shaped portion 59 and anarrower extension 60. (See 'Fi 'ure- WVhen the hooked lever is, in ,itspositionof between arms 52,53 and serves to spacethem the proper extentto put the retainers in cor rect position radially with respect to thepoints, andalsoit provides an entrance for the wedge-portion 59 Y Whenthe hooked lever moves toward strip ping position the w-edge portionseparates the retainers is necessary since, after folding,

the retainers lie close to the end points (see Fig. 12) andwouldinterfere with the last partof the downward movement of the strip- VVhenstripping is complete, the hooked lever is restored to its upper or restposition by the cam grooves 45,46 and, in doing so,-the

wedge-shaped portion59 is lifted and arms 52 and 53 return to theircentral position as in i Fig. 5 under effort of spring 56' putting theretainers again in position between the points.

Since the presence of'the retainers between the points has no functionafter the, foldin g is completed, and since-it would. interfere with thesubsequentrotation of the Carrier 16 and ring R in presenting thedoubled loops to the sewing apparatus, mechanism is provided to lift theretainers away from the ring as soon as the latter is unfolded andrestored to the position shown in Figure l lhe un foldin occursimmediatelv'after the stri b v V ping when cam drum 0 presents to thepin 35 the up wardly sloping portion (not shown) of groove 36, It mayalso he noted at this point that whensegment l7 isrestored to the posi-vtion shown in Fig, 1, oam lug 23,properlyf rock thelink 66 toward thecam drum. "precise location of pin 71 may be determined by aconsideration of the, fact that the arms arm 2dto disengage finger 28fromlthe opening in ring R.- a p V wThe mechanlsm for puttlng the arms52,

53 in raised position and for moving them from thatposition to theirfunctioning position betweentlie endpoints just prior to positionedonplate21 for this purpose, rocks folding "of ring R, will now bedescribed,

ends of arms 52, 58 near rod 54: and ismount ed by an off-set; to swingabout anextension of rod 5d projectingbeyond bracket 55 An upright rod62 having anangled or inclined piece 62 connects this bar 61, at a pointec centricof its axis on rod 54:, witha member 63 securcdto a so-calledstarting lever :64 and transverse thereof. The startlng lever 64 ispivotedon a fixed-part of the frame.

A pair of jointedjhorizontal links 65, 66

connect lever 64 with the cam drum C, link A har'6l extendstransverselybeneath the 65 heing secured to lever 64:, and link'66 bepivoted at 67,011 a of frame,

not shown.

On the cam drum andinthe same horizon?- tal plane as link '66 isa lug.68; This lug is so positioned on the drumthat it engagesjlink 66 andswings its engagmgend outward'from the drum at the same time that lug22*is swinging arms 24: and 27 to putfinger 28 in engagement withsegment 17',p'r'eparatory for folding of the ring;

- The outward movement of the engaging, endof link 66 swings the link 65and thereby:

tilts the starting lever 64 in adirection causing a downward movement ofthe rod The result is that bar6l is dropped sufficiently to permit thearms 52, 53 to: swing downward under the influence of springs 56 puttingthe retainers in functioning positionas in Fig urel.

shown) to lie tangent to the cam drum just above lug 68 and has aportion70 bent away from the drum to drop into engagement with i the link 66after the lug68 has been rotated suiiiciently to clear the end of thelink. The

latch therefore holdsthe link 66 away and through thelinkage describedabove,it keeps bar 61in its lower position." 1

VJ hen the ringis unfolded after the strip; ping operation, a pin 71,properly positioned on the cam-drum to come into the region of latch 69at about the time that lug 23 is moving finger 28 out of the opening insegment 17, rides under latch 69 and lifts it awayfrom link 66permitting the link end to movetowardthedrum. V Throughthe linkage 6662,the'movement of the link 66 causes'the bar 61 to be raised, carryingwith it the retainer farms 52, 53, this movementbeing caused by reasonof the fact that the lever 6d. is spring stressed 1n a direction suchthat ittends to The ion

p i "165 'A latch 691s pivoted on the frame (not 1 52, 53 may be raisedas soon as the segment 17 has been swung toward unfolded positionsufliciently to provide a clear space between the end points of thesegments for the passage upward of the retainers.

It is to be noted that at the forward end of lug 68 is a small cam orlug 72. This corresponds to the starting pin 87 in the Vil liams Patent1,715,400. Upon the initial movement of the cam drum in a cycle ofoperations, the starting lug 72 moves link 66 a slight amount causinglever 64 to rock slightly to the left as viewed in Fig. 3. This movespin 73 on lever 64 from beneath the corner 74 of the edge of carrier 16permitting the carrier to drop in order to put ring R in position withrespect to the sewing mechanism. It is noted that the carrier edge 75 isinclined upwardly from the corner 74.

During the last part of the rotation of the cylinder, while the segment17 is being rapidly stepped past the sewing mechanism, this edge 75rides on pin 7 3 and thereby the carrier is restored to upper positionto make easy the removal of ring B. This is all de scribed in theWilliams Patent 1,715,400.

The retainer 50 (Sheet 5), (and, of course, retainer 51 also) has a partextending between the end points of the parts of the foldable pointcarrier R. This part comprises a throat 502 which is at the level of thetips of the points to permit the end point P to swing about intoregistry with point P, and a portion 503 extending above and below thelevel of the tips on the fabric side of the points. This portion 503recedes on its forward edge 504 from the upper edge and may be curvedalthough many variations of the curvature are possible as will beapparent when its purpose is understood. A strictly vertical forwardedge is possible but is not preferred.

It is the portion 503 with the edge 504 which acts on the yarn to keepthe end loop on the points. The action will be understood from aconsideration of Figures 6 to 12.

These figures show the end points P and P at one juncture of the ringsegments, the retainer 50 and one wale of the fabric. For convenientreference, the loop on point P is designated as 81 and the loop on pointP as 82. The portion of yarn 83 between the end loops 81 and 82 does notappear in Fig. 7 but Figures 6 and 9 show it to be beneath the retainerportion 503.

Figure 8 shows the manner in which the yarn portion 83 rides up on thesloping edge 504 as the segment 17 with end point P is swung over ontosegment 18. During the first part of the swinging of segment 17, theyarn portion 83 assumes a diagonal position across the edge 504 andpartly folds over this edge. As it rides up the edge 504, this yarnportion is held away from the points laterally. Figure 8 is a view atthe instant P" comes into register with P The end of yarn portion 83toward loop 82 has come up from in back of the retainer end 503 (compareFig. 6) and is lying along the edge 504. Immediately thereafter, asshown in Figure 9, the portion 83 slips over the upper tip of theretainer end 503 thus bringing all the fabric to one side of theretainer. The retention could be obtained without having the yarnportion 83 finally slip over the tip of the end portion 503 by havingthe tip higher. The yarn then would merely fold over the end portion 503and would'be given a greater stretch. The tip shown is moresatisfactory.

The action of theend 503 in preventing loops 81 and 82 from slippingfrom their points is perhaps best understoodby visualizing the changesfrom the Fig. 6 view. its P moves upward, yarn portion 83 must move tothe left under the guidance of edge 504. As yarn portion 83 moves to theleft, the yarn in loops 81 and 82, is drawn tightly against the points Pand P. In addition to the frictional resistance thereby effected, theyarn is held out laterally from the points and away from the tips towardwhich it otherwise would be drawn. Other actions maybe present. This isnot intended to be an exhaustive statement of the theory of i3.

operation.

Figure 2 shows the condition of the yarn portions when the folding ispartly completed and further illustrates the positive action of theretainer end 503 in resisting the tendency of the yarn to be drawn offthe points when they are separated abnormally during the swinging ofsegment 17 From Fig. 2 it is apparent that while preferably the throat502 should be even with the tips of the points P, it could be slightlyabove without interfering with the swinging of point P" since there maybe a slight clearance between the tips when folded. It could also bebelow the tip level, the only consideration being that if dropped toofar the end 503 might be too low to retain the loop 82 on point P Theimportant part of the retainer is the end 503. Experiment will readilyshow the distance it must extend above and below the level of the tipswhen in register to keep the loops on the points. This reference level,of course, is not a geometrical plane except possibly where the pointsmeet tip to tip when folded. hen the tips overlap or when they do notmeet when folded onto register with each other, the level will bebetween the planes of the tips.

As distinguished from former retainers which were simple pointsprojected horizontally between the upright end points, the presentretainer is characterized by the fact that it is thin and flat so thatit may extend between the points and present a forward the Fig. 8 to theFig.9 position.

edge 504 ofconsiderable extent in the direc; tion of ,theend points.Thisedgeholdsthe 7, portion of thread, between the loops impaled on theend points, laterally against the points and is suitably shaped to actas a cam orguide so that the thread may move along it and I still beheldlaterally away from the points. In'thisway the loops are held fromslipping off the points. The end 503 of the retainer may be variouslymade to provide such a forward edge due to its height than thickness.

The curve of edge. 504:,las shown, islpref considerably greatererablesince it gives a gradual displacement of yarn portion 88 duringthe folding. jThe curved top of end 503also permitseasy movement of theyarn over it in the change from The dotted outline'in Fig; 9 illustratesthe withdrawal of the retainer radially to permit the stripper 90 tomove downward to double theloops. Other directions of movement of theretainer arepossiblejustso it is moved outof the way of the stripper. fv The. description and. claims, here are phrased in terms of averticalarrangement of the points as that is the preferred and, in

. mental point carrier and a" loop retainer, adapted toextendtransversely of'said car-' fact, the only form of looper in actualuse,

having a foldable carrier. It'willbeunderstood however that theinventionis not limited to use with vertically arranged points and that theclaims'are not to "bereadas excludingother arrangements, suehwoi'ds as vv above l below,-upwardly and the like I be ng used i n' arelativesense. -We claim- 1. In a looping machine, afoldable segrierbetweenthe endpoints of the carrier segments, saidretainerj comprisingan end portion adapted to extend on thefabric side of the points aboveand below the level of the tips of the points. v

2. In a looping machine, a foldable segmental point carrier and a loopretainer adapted to extend transversely of said carrier between the endpoints of the carrier segments, said retainer comprising an end portionadapted to extend on the fabric side of the points above and belowthe'level of the tips of the points and having its forward edge recedingfrom .theupper edge. 7 3. In a looping machine, a foldable segmentalpoint carrier and. a loop retainer adapted to extend transversely ofsaid carrier between the end points of the carrier segments, saidretainer comprising an end por- I tion adapted to extend on the fabricside of the points above and below thelevel of the tipsv of the pointsand having its forward edge receding from the upper edge on a curvedline.

4:. Ina looping machine, a foldable seg mental point carrier and a loopretainer adapted to extend transversely of-said carrierrbetween the endpoints of the carrier segments, said retainer comprising an end portionpresenting; a :forward edge over which the thread portion between, theloops on'the end points extends during folding whereby tov draw the.said agalinstthe endpoints; f 5. In a looping machine, a foldablesegmental pointcarrier and a loop retaineradaptedto extend betweentheend points of m loops laterally 1 the carrier segments, said. retainerhavingan end portion with a forward edge for engag -i ing the threadPOIlLlOHbQtWGQIl the: loops on the end points and'guiding it laterallyaway from the points while the segments are being folded. e

6. A loop retainer for use with looping machine comprising a throat andan endpo'r- 7 tionadjacent said throat and extending upwardly therefrom.I

7 A loop retainer foruse with machine comprising a throat and an endpor-' tion adjacent said throatand extending .up-

wardly therefrom, the forward edge of said-g i portionreceding from theupper edge thereof.

.8. A loop retainer for use with a, looping machine comp-rising a throatand an end portion adjacent said throat and extending up wardlytherefrom, the forward edge of said portion receding from the upper edgethereofon a curved line. I

is a point carrier foldable to bring the points 9..A loop. retainer, foruse with a looping machine, comprisingv an endportion that s g of theparts thereof into register to permit doubling of the loopsbya-strippe'r mechaq nismautomatically movable to stripping position whensaid carrier is folded, aloop re- 'tainer and means for automaticallyputting theretainer in position to hold the fabric on the carrier pointsduring folding.

12. In a looping machine in which there is a point carrier foldable tobring the points of the parts thereof into register to permit doublingof the loops by a stripper inechanism automaticallymovable to strippingposition when said carrier is folded, a loop retamer and means forautomatically puttlng the retainer in. position to hold the fabric onthe carrier points during folding, and means for automatically movingsaid retainer from said position for the stripping operation.

13. In a looping machine in which there is a point carrier foldable tobring the points 7 tion When said carrier is folded, a loop retainer andmeans for automatically putting the retainer in position to hold thefabric on the carrier points during folding, and means operable by themovement of the stripper mechanism toward stripping position for movingsaid retainer from its functioning position and for holding it therefromduring the stripping operation.

14. In a looping machine in which there is a point carrier foldable tobring the points of the parts thereof into register to permit doublingof the loops by a stripper mechanism automatically movable to strippingposition when said carrier is folded, loop re tainers for hold'ng thefabric on the carrier points during folding and an arm for eachretainer, said arms normally holding said retainers away from saidcarrier but being swingable to put the retainers in position between theend points of the carrier parts and laterally movable to remove theretainers from said position during stripping.

15. In a looping machine in which there is a point carrier foldable tobring the points of the parts thereof into register to permit doublingof the loops by a stripper mechanism automatically movable to strippingposition when said carrier is folded, loop retainers for holding thefabric on the carrier points during folding and an arm for eachretainer. said arms being pivoted and laterally movable along theirpivots, in combination with means for swinging said arms and a wedgebetween said arms and moved by said stripping mechanism to separate saidarms.

16. In a looping machine in which there is a point carrier foldable tobring the points of the parts thereof into register to permit doublingof the loops by a stripper mechanism automatically movable to strippingposition when said carrier is folded, loop retainers for holding thefabric on the carrier points during folding and an arm for eachretainer, said arms normally holding said retainers away from saidcarrier but being swingable to put the retainers in position between theend points of the carrier parts and laterally movable to remove theretainers from said position during stripping, in combination with meansfor swinging said arms and a means associated with said strippermechanism for controlling the lateral movement of said arms.

17. In a looping machine, a foldable point carrier and mechanism forfolding it, a stripper mechanism, loop retainers and mecha nism forputting said retainers in functionlng position with respect to saidcarrier, in-

terrelated cam means for controlling the operations ofsaid mechanisms inpredetermined sequence and means controlled by said stripper mechanismfor removing said retainers from said functioning position during thestripping operation.

18. In combination in a looping machine, a point carrier foldable tobring the points of one part thereof into register with the points ofthe other part, retainers for holding the fabric loops on the end pointsof said parts during folding, means for moving said retainers tofunctioning position with respec to said end points prior to folding ofsaid point carrier and for moving them away from said position uponunfolding of said carrier, a stripper mechanism for doubling the loopson one part of said carrier onto the other part thereof while saidcarrier is folded, and means operable by the movement of the strippermechanism toward and away from its operative position for causing saidretainers to move respectively out of and into their functioningposition. 7

19. In a loopin machine. a foldable point carrier-and mecha nism forfolding it, a stripper niechanis loop retainers and mcchanism formanipulating them, a cam drum for controlling the operations of saidmechanisms in predetermined sequence, and a latch, said retainermanipulating mechanism conr prising a lever engaging the cam drum. andsaid cam drum comprising a cam for moving said lever into engagementwith sai: EUIll to cause said retainers to move to and to be held infunctioning position with respcr; to the point carrier, and a second camfor re leasing said lever from said latch.

In testimony whereof we have signed our names to this specification.

LOUIS N. D. lVILLIAMS. HARRY SWINGLEI-IURST, JR.

Kill

